Dedicated to the research of new immunotherapeutic vaccines in oncology and prophylactic vaccines, the aim of the joint Institut Pasteur - Oncovita laboratory is to design and develop vaccine candidates through to proof of concept in humans.
Oncovita and the Institut Pasteur have already been working together for several years on the construction and development of new vaccines based on MeasovirR technology, based on the measles vaccine virus.
The first candidate under development by Oncovita, MVdeltaC, is an immunotherapeutic treatment for solid tumors and has demonstrated remarkable immunogenic oncolysis properties in human or syngeneic tumor models, e.g. mesothelioma, bladder, neuroblastoma, etc.
The joint Institut Pasteur - Oncovita laboratory will also be carrying out research into viral defective interfering RNAs (DI-RNAs) produced by modified recombinant measles viruses. Dr. Anastasia Komarova, director of the joint laboratory, has shown that modified viruses from the measles platform generate large quantities of these DI-RNAs, which could constitute a new generation of innovative therapeutic candidates.
Isabelle Buckle, Director of Research Applications and Industrial Relations at the Institut Pasteur, said: “The creation of this joint laboratory is intended to strengthen and perpetuate a collaboration already established with Oncovita, which has borne fruit in terms of innovation. It's a good model for 'de-risking' the science that comes out of a laboratory and bringing solutions to patients. The arrival of Dr Le Bigot, the founder of the Citoxlab group, as Chairman of Oncovita reinforces our ambitious strategy”.
